BTDT Breastfeeding moms...

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant with my first. I am planning on BF. What happens at the hospital when you have visitors and you need to BF? Do people leave your room? Do you have to ask them to? How does this all work. Being that i have NEVER done this before....i can assure you i won't feel comfortable whipping out my boob in front of anyone other than my dh and mom. For some reason this is stressing me out.

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to be honest, when i had ds it wasnt an issue.. the hospial i gave birth at only had visiting hours for an hour and a half twice a day so i just nursed right before they were coming and then after they were over

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Lucky you!!! Visiting hours at South Nassau are from 1 PM- 8 PM

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good sam has two very small windows for visiters which i am actually happy about... it was alot nicer being able to have that relaxation time

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That does sound great! I thought mom and baby were supposed to rest! Hopefully i'll give birth during the week and most people will be at work earlier in the day

Message edited 11/22/2009 8:16:33 PM.

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I either covered up if it was just my parents, but if someone else was there, I took the babies to another room and did it. They actually had a nursing room in the nursery, but they let me use an empty room in the unit.

Re: BTDT Breastfeeding moms...

Posted by babycakes18

That does sound great! I thought mom and baby were supposed to rest! Hopefully i'll give birth during the week and most people will be at work earlier in the day

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People left the room when I BF and when the LC came by to work with me.

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its funny that u wrote this because I have the exact same fears...im really worried that people will be visiting and I will need to breastfeed...i told dh that hes in charge of kicking people out bc im not doing it in front of people especially since i wont really know what im doing at first

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Oh I remember this feeling. I was upfront and asked all men to leave saying I need to feed the baby and I would feel more comfortable that way. The nurse ushered them out. One thing I got for home was a baby au lait or hooter hider. Great invention, as it lets you nurse and be covered up. I also got a few nursing tops from Motherhood and Gap.

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I honestly don't remember! I had no problem BF-ing in front of my family, but with friends I think it worked out where they came when I had just finished feeding her. They usually came in small groups.

I wouldn't worry about it, just get one of those covers that the previous posters mentioned.

Message edited 11/23/2009 8:51:02 AM.

Re: BTDT Breastfeeding moms...

I asked them to leave (at least the people I wouldn't nurse in front of like my Dad). With Ryan I was constantly hiding to nurse, which stunk b/c I nursed him for 14 months. With Colin, I'm attempting to be a part of the party when I nurse and try to use a nursing cover but not in the hospital.

At the hospital, baby and mommy are getting the hang of nursing and it's not so easy to get a latch and just sit there. DC needs guidance. I found I was wrestling Colin on so I needed my privacy and one on one time with him. Also, nursing in the initial days, especially after #2 hurt a bit - it felt lilke contractions b/c your uterus is shrinking. I didn't need an audience when I was going thru that.

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My plan is just to ask my visitors to step out for privacy if I need to breastfeed. I wouldn't feel embarrassed or like I'm putting them off and I think most people would understand.

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I lost every aspect of privacy when I had DD. In the hospital, visitors walked in when I was breastfeeding, and didn't offer to leave or anything. I didn't have the guts to speak up, especially cause our breastfeeding sessions could last a really long time, and I didn't want to interrupt the session. It didn't get much different at home. FH's parents came to visit at different times and I just had to get used to it. I didn't want to go hide out in a room by myself to BF (the sessions could be really long) and people didn't seem to ever be willing to say let me give you some privacy, and while I tried to say that I was uncomfortable at first, people didnt get it, and i didnt want to constantly start fights, so basically, i gave up all privacy and everyone in my family and lots of friends and their husbands became very familiar with my boobs.

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Thanks ladies...I am more concerned with the hospital than home....at home i have no problem going into another room or covering myself. But at the hospital....i'll be a brand new mom and i am sure my boobies will be flying all over the place until i know what the hell i'm doing. I'll just tell people to leave! Whatever....i'm sure it's going to be stressful as it is....i don't need an audience!

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No visitors! Actually, I delivered Sat afternoon so by the time I got to a room it was early evening so we had no visitors (i delivered at a NSUH and all of our family lives in Suffolk). Sunday there was a snowstorm and only my parents came and they waited outside while I nursed. I was gone Mon. morning.

Who knows how it will work out. But do whatever you're comfortable doing. If you don't want to nurse in front of anyone tell them they need t o step outside for a little while.

Re: BTDT Breastfeeding moms...

Posted by CaMacho

I honestly don't remember! I had no problem BF-ing in front of my family, but with friends I think it worked out where they came when I had just finished feeding her. They usually came in small groups.

I wouldn't worry about it, just get one of those covers that the previous posters mentioned.

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I didn't have many visitors, thank goodness, but the ones I did have I think I just did it in front of them. With my mom I did not cover up, with my in-laws I covered up, but FIL left the room

With nurses and staff I don't think I covered up. So many people were coming in and out I just didn't care anymore. It was funny though b/c one night DH's friend stopped by-well I thought he was a Dr, so I did not even cover up and in he walks, oooopppps!

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I am planning on wearing nursing tops/pjs and I have no issues telling people to leave. I do not feel comfortable in front of anyone but DH!

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my room had visitors from 11-8 every day, I had a csection too so I couldn't just get up. I never kicked ppl out I just waited and waited, that's def. part of the reason I couldn't bf

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visitors or not...a hooter hider is going to hospital with me to train this baby from day one that it feeds hidden. #1 could never have anything on his head.

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I certainly wasn't leaving the room in order to breast feed DS. If anyone was uncomfortable - they could leave.